Advertising device



May 10, 1938. J SAYRE 2,116,542

ADVERTISI I, ABC.

May 10, 1938. J JESAYRE 2,116,542

ADVERTISING DEVICE 7 Filed Nov. 11, 1936 .2 Sheets$heot 2 I 'HMWWW iwamnwmaw.

' a MMW INVENTOR Patented May 10,1938 1 2,116,542

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ADVERTISING DEVICE James E. Sayre, New York,1v. Y.

1 Application November 11, 1936, Serial No. 110,198

14 Claims. (oi. o-1st) This invention relates to the art of advertisinging from top to bottom thereof with spaces 4 for devices for the purposeof attracting the attention the admission of light. At the rear of gridl and i of persons to a sign or the like bearing anadadjacent to it isplaced another grid 2 similarly r vertisement. 1 formed with slats 5,spaces 6 being provided be- The embodiment of the invention consists ofa tween the slats. The two grids are placed at a device composed of twoor more non-parallel vertical angle to each other. The rear grid 2grids, each grid being formed of relatively narmay be attached to thesupports 1, 8 of the signrow slats with spaces therebetweenfor theadboard.

mission of light, such grids being so arranged This construction, whenset up in such a way with respect to each other that light may be thatlight is passed from behind the device to an passed through them to theobserver, as is more observer who is passing horizontally as along afully describedhereinbelow. road in front of the device, gives theeffect of Among theobjects of my invention is the conhorizontal parallellines or streaks of light which struction of a" device to beused as partof an are in fact composed of rows of adjacent open advertising board,or other display structure, for spaces t and B. These rowsappear aslines or the purpose ofattracting attention to the board, streaks oflight because of the vertical angle or other display element. It may beused as a at which the grids are placed, thus cutting standard for anadvertising board, or may be oli the admission of light through theentire adapted to beused as an integral partoi the device, except wherethe spaces in one grid coboard, or other advertising medium; 1 incide,from the observers standpoint, with In the accompanying drawings, spacesin the adjacent grid. Thisappearance Fig. l is a front elevationof asignboard which is substantially the same as that shown in Fig. includesas an integral part thereof a device con- 7. As the observer passes thedevice horizonstructed in accordance with my invention; tally, such rowsor streaks of light give the re- Fig.2is aside elevation of thesignboard shown markable illusion of rising or falling, dependr in Fig.1; i ing upon the direction in which the observer is Fig. 3 is a rearelevation of the same; moving with respect to the device, and upon Fig.lls a side elevation of two grids placed whether thegrids are placedwith the vertical in juxtaposition in accordance with my invention angleconverging at the top or at the bottom. In

showing convexly curving slats; i

Fig. 5 is a side elevation of such a device show- 1, 2 and 3, where theslats in each grid are vering concavely curving slats; tically disposed,the illusion of rising or falling Figifi is a side elevation of adeviceconstructed rows, streaks or waves of light, is obtained when inaccordance with my invention showing three the observer is passing andis situated at any Fig. l is a front elevation of a deviceshowing front.At such position, of course, the spaces two parallel grids, theindividual slats in one grid in the rear grid correspond exactly withthe being disposed angularly with respect to the inspaces in the frontgrid and the rows of apertures dividualslats in the adjacent grid;caused by'the apparent crossing of the slats in the particularembodiment illustrated in Figs.

grids placed in juxtaposition; position in front of the device exceptdirectly in 4Q Fig.8 is a s'idesectional view of the device of theseveral grids are not seen. This may be Fig. l, the section being takenalong the line 8-8 remedied by placing the slats of one or more ofFig.7; it shows also amechanism adapted to of the grids at an angleother than ninety demove one of the grids with respect to the othergrees, to the horizontal top or bottom of the grid, grid; i as shown,for example, in Fig. '7, or by some of 4 Fig. 9 is a sectional view or"the device in Fig. 8 the other constructions described hereinafter.

along the line 9-9 of Fig. 8; If used in a field adjacent to a highwayon rela- Fig. 10 is a iront elevation of a device havtively high ground,so that light from the sky ing a grid formed in the shape of a cylinder,the may pass through the grids of the device to an front part beingbroken away to show mechanism observer seated in a passing automobile,the efiect adapted to rotatethecylinder about its axis; of rising orfalling rows or streaks of light will Fig. 11 is a front elevation of agrid having be so striking that it cannot fail to attract theirregularly curved slats; and attention of suchpassing motorists. I

Fig. 12 is a front elevation of a board with a In order that the devicemay be effective at grid painted thereon, adapted to be used as a night,or in such a place that daylight will not rear grid. give the effect,artificial light may be placed on The simplest embodiment of myinvention is the far side of the device from the observer so illustratedin Figs. 1, 2, and 3. This embodiment that the same effect as withdaylight may be seis made part of a signboard S, such as is used forcured. This artificial light may come from a roadside advertising. Inthe upper part of the small source, or may be reflected light from a 50board isplaced a grid l formedof slats 3 extendlarge plane or othersurface, as IS in Fig. 8.

The length and width of the slats in the grids may, of course, be variedaccording to the efiect desired and the desirability of wide or narrowspaces, depending on the distance of the device from the observer, thelighting conditions obtaining and the type of row or streak of lightdesired.

The vertical angle at which the grids are placed may be varied for thepurpose of determining the speed with which it is desired the streaks orrows of light should rise or fall which, in turn, depends upon thehorizontal speed of movement of the observer. The vertical angle may bevaried also, for the purpose of determining the width or apparent widthof the rows or streaks of light, the less the vertical angle, otherthings being equal, the greater the apparent width of the row or streak.of light.

Another variation is in the regularity of the width of the slats and ofthe spaces. The effect of straight horizontal rows of light may besupplanted by irregular rows or waves of varying width and intensity, ifthe slats are made with curved or crooked edges, of varying width fromtop to bottom, or are placed different distances apart, the distancesvarying either from top to bottom, or from one part of the grid toanother part of the grid. A grid composed of irregularly curved slats isshown in Fig. 11.

The grids may be placed at any angle with respect to each other,provided the individual slats in one are not parallel to the individualslats in the other grid. The slats of one grid may be placed in such away that their edges, if straight, will be contained in a planecontaining one or more slats in the other grid, or they may be placed insuch a way that no slat, or edge thereof, in one grid is in a planewhich contains a slat, or edge thereof, in the other grid. In the lattercase, to wit, absence of parallelism between slats in different grids,the grids themselves need not be so placed that the principal plane ofone is at an angle to the principal plane of the other in order toproduce the effect of rising or falling rows, streaks, or waves oflight.

The grids may be plane or they may be composed of surfaces curvedregularly or irregularly, depending upon the lighting effect desired.Fig. 4 shows two grids'juxtaposed in accordance with my invention whosesurfaces 9 and I0, respectively, are curved convexly. Fig. 5 shows adevice composed of juxtaposed grids whose surfaces I! and I2 are curvedconcavely.

A third grid may be added to the device, as shown in Fig. 6. By the useof a third grid, as light from behind the device will reach theobservers eyes only when openings in all three grids coincide, unusuallighting effects may be obtained, for instance intermittent andirregular flashing of the rows, streaks or waves of light.

The same effect is produced when the grids are placed in parallelrelation to each other, as in Figs. '7, 8 and 9. In such case, it isnecessary to the production of the effect above referred to, that theslats in one grid be not parallel to the slats in the other grid withwhich they are in operative relation. By placing the slats in one gridalmost or quite parallel to the slats in the juxtaposed grid an eifectof intermittent flashes or interrupted flashes of the light showingbetween the slats is produced.

In Figs. 7, 8 and 9, the front grid I3 is parallel to the rear grid I4,but the slats in the two grids are not parallel. The device is providedwith an artificially lighted background i5 for use. at times or inplaces where artificial light is not available to provide the lightbackground. The device shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 utilizes the griddevice as part of a signboard, for the purpose of attracting attentionthereto, that shown in Figs. 7, 8 and 9 as part of a store window sign.The proportions of the device may be varied according to Whether theboard is to be used as a roadside sign or as a store window sign.

In Figs. '7, 8 and 9, the rear grid [4 is provided with wheels I6, I!and is attached to one end of a connecting rod l8, the other end ofwhich is connected to a crank l9 operated through gear 20 and worm 2| bymotor 22. The operation of the motor 22 thus gives to the rear grid areciprocating movement, which gives the effect of rising or fallingrows, streaks or waves of light without movement on the part of theobserver. Such an arrangement is desirable when the device is used in astore window, before which observers are likely to stand motionless.

The same effect may be secured by rotary motion of the grids. In thatevent I prefer to use a form such as is illustrated in Fig. 10, theslats 23 formingand running from top to bottom of, a cylinder 24, thelight, as in all other instances hereinabove referred to, being situatedon the far side of the device from the observer. Obviously, a cone orfrustum thereof or a cube or other geometrical form bearing grids may besubstituted for the cylinder 24. In Fig. 10, cylinder 24 and gear wheel25 are fixedly mounted on shaft 26. Source of power 21 operates worm 28which actuates gear 25 and so rotates cylinder 24'.

The same striking effect of rising or falling rows, streaks or waves oflight may be secured by the substitution for the rear grid of an i1luminated surface painted or otherwise having applied thereto parallelstrips or sections of alternating black and white or other contrastingcolors, to correspond to the slats and spaces between them for theadmission of light, such as shown in Fig. 12. The lighting eifect may bevaried by the use of curved, tapered or irregularly formed slats in oneor more of the grids or by similarly varying the outline of the paintedstrips .or sections of a painted rear section substituted for a grid.The lighting effect may be varied by the use of one or more gratingsformed substantially of slats, but having relatively small cross piecesbetween the slats, operating to strengthen the structure. This formmight be used were the grid to be manufactured by stamping it out of apiece of sheet metal.

It will thus be seen that there are numerous variations in the devicesin which the objects and functions of this invention may be achieved andwhich are well adapted to meet the conditions of practical use.

As various possible embodiments might be made of the above invention andas various changes in addition to those set forth might be made in theembodiments above set forth, it is to be understood that all mattersherein set forth, or shown in the accompanying drawings, are to beregarded as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

I claim:

1. A device composed of a plurality of grids disposed adjacent to eachother and one behind another, each grid consisting of slats and havingspaces between the slats, the slats of one grid being non-parallel tothe slats of another grid, and a light background behind such pluralityof grids, capable of creating in a passer-by an illusion of animation,placed in association with an advertising display so that the attentionof a passer-by may be attracted by the device and directed to theadvertising display.

2. A device composed of a plurality of grids disposed adjacent to eachother and one behind another, each grid consisting of slats and havingspaces between the slats, the slats of one grid being non-parallel tothe slats of another grid, and a light background behind such pluralityof grids capable of creating in a moving observer an illusion of motionof the light areas bounded by the slats of such grids.

3. A device composed of a plurality of adjacent grids consisting ofslats and having spaces between the slats, the slats of one grid beingnonparallel to the slats of another grid and the slats of neither ofsuch grids being horizontal and a source of light adapted to be seenthrough the spaces in such grids so as to create in a passerby anillusion that the light areas bounded by the slats of such grids move,placed in association with an advertising display so that the attentionof a passer-by may be attracted by the device and directed to theadvertising display.

4. A device composed of two grids disposed adjacently and one behind theother, consisting of slats and having spaces between the slats, theslats of one grid being non-parallel to the slats of the other grid andthe slats of neither grid being horizontal and a light background,capable of creating in a passer-by an illusion of animated light areas,in association with an advertising display so that the attention of apasser-by may be attracted to the device and directed to the advertisingdisplay.

5., A device composed of two non-parallel grids disposed adjacently andone behind the other each grid consisting of slats and having spacesbetween the slats, none of the slats being horizontal, and a lightbackground so that an illusion of moving light areas is created in onepassing the device, in association with an advertising display.

6. Two independent, adjacent, non-parallel grids disposed one behind theother consisting of slats and having spaces between the slats, none ofthe slats being horizontally placed and a light background, capable ofcreating an illusion of animation in a passer-by, in visual associationwith an advertising or other display.

7. A device composed of two adjacent, independent, non-parallel grids,one disposed behind the other, each grid composed of bars havingsubstantially straight edges and having spaces between the bars, none ofthe bars being horizontally placed and a light background so as tocreate in a moving observer an illusion of animation, in visualassociation with an advertising display.

8. Two independent grids disposed one behind the other, each gridcomposed of bars and having spaces between the bars, the bars in onegrid being non-paralle1 to the bars of the other grid, and none of thebars being in the same plane with the direction of motion of a passer-byand a light background so as to create in a passer-by an illusion ofmoving light areas, in visual association with an advertising display.

9. Two substantially flat, adjacent grids, disposed one behind theother, composed of slats and having spaces between the slats, the slatsof one grid being non-parallel to the slats of the other grid, one gridbeing adapted to be moved substantially horizontally, and means for somoving such grid, and a light background so that an illusion ofnon-horizontal motion of light areas visible between the slats of thegrids is induced in a stationary observer, in visual association with anadvertising display.

10. A device composed of two grids disposed adjacently and one behindthe other, each grid consisting of bars and having spaces between thebars, the bars of one grid being non-parallel to the bars of the othergrid, one such grid being adapted to be independently moved, and meansfor moving such grid and a light background so that an illusion ofmoving light areas bounded by the slats of such grids is induced in astationary observer, in visual association with an advertising or otherdisplay.

11. A device composed of two adjacent grids disposed one behind theother, consisting of slats and having spaces between the slats, theslats of one grid being non-parallel to the slats of the other grid andan illuminated background visible through the spaces in the grids, onegrid being adapted to be moved independently, and means for so movingsuch grid, none of the slats of either grid being parallel to thedirection of motion of the movable grid, so that an illusion is producedin an observer that light areas bounded by the slats vary and anadvertising or other display in visual association therewith.

12. A device composed of two or more nonparallel, adjacent grids placedone behind the other, each grid consisting of slats and having spacesbetween the slats, one grid being adapted to be moved independently in asubstantially horizontal direction, and means for so moving such grid,none of the slats in the movable grid and in one other grid beinghorizontally placed, so as to create an illusion in an observer ofnonhorizontal motion of light areas bounded by the slats of such grids,in visual association with material to be displayed.

13. An advertising device capable of producing an illusion of animationwhereby passers-by will be attracted to the advertising matterassociated therewith comprising two grids, each composed of spaced slatssubstantially vertically disposed, one of said grids being disposedadjacent to and in back of the other grid and the spaced slats of eachof said grids being substantially parallel to each other and innon-parallel relation with respect to the slats of the othergrid and alight background in back of said grids adapted to be seen through thespaces between the slats of said grids so that as the passer-by movesrelative to said grids the light areas bounded by the slats of saidgrids will vary.

14. An advertising device capable of producing an illusion of animationwhereby passers-by will be attracted to the advertising matterassociated therewith comprising two grids, each composed of spaced slatssubstantially vertically disposed, one of said grids being disposedadjacent to and in back of, the other grid and the spaced slats of eachof said grids being substantially parallel to each other and innon-parallel relation with respect to the slats of the other grid and asource of light adapted to project light beams from in back of saidspaced grids forwardly through the spaced slats of such grids so that assuch grids move relative to the observer the light areas bounded by theslats of such grids will vary.

JAMES E. SAYRE.

